Block system for toy electric railroads



Jan. 3,1928.

R. F. BRONSON BLOCK SYSTEM FOR TOY ELECTRIC RAILROADS Filed March 12.1926 rm mm m m m E T M M m M .y E m Fr W 9 Q\ :4 3 3 3 AZ F u E1 F m n AD Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

l,ii55,088

.ilx DOLPl-I FRANCIS BRONSON, OF BROOKLYN,

CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIONEL CORLORAL:;ION OF NE'W YORK.

BLOCK SYSTEM FOR TOY ELECTRIC RAILROADS.

Application filed March 12, 1926. Serial No. 94,117.

The present invention relates to block systems for toy electricrailroads and is more particularly directed toward a signal systemutilizing electric lamps to give various signals according to theposition of the train on the track.

An object or" the present invention is to provide a toy railroadsignaling system, operated from the source or propulsion current, whichgives lighted signals similar to the standard signals of main linerailroads, without the use of moving parts.

In the convenient embodiments of the invention herein shown, two or moreelectric 15. lamps of varying voltages, and associated resistances, areconnected with the track lay-out. This lay-out utilizes a number ofsections of toy track having at least one insulated track rail.

According to the present invention, the connections are made up and donot change during the operation of the train on the track The lamps andresistances are so selected that the particular lamp to be lighted willdepend upon the position of the train and the other lamp or lampsextinguished in the proper sequence.

in the accompanying drawing, there is shown, for purposes ofillustrating the invention, three of the many possible embodiments inwhich it may take form, the drawing beingdiagrammatic, it beingunderstood that the views are illustrative of the invention rather thanlimiting the same.

In these drawings: V Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating atrack lay-out and'circuit using two lamps for giving red and greenindications only;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view or a track lay-out and connectionsillustrating three lamps such as red, yellow, and green, to be lightedin proper sequence during theinove mentof a train in one direction;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2, illustrating an arrangement foroperating the three lamps in a proper sequence irrespective of thedirection in which the train is operated; and

Figure 4. illustrates a term of signal tower which may be used inpractising the present invention.

The drawing shows a fragment of a. track layout; and for convenience.this is shown as being straight. The track lay-out is comwill posed of aplurality of sections of a toy railroad track having two outside orwheel bearing rails, and a central or insulated third rail. All therails are mounted on sleepers in the ordinary fashion, and the sectionsare connected together by insulated or metal pins as desired. As aboveindicated, each of these-sections contains track rails 10 and 11, and acentral or insulated third rail 12. These rails are mounted on thesleepers or cross ties 13 in the usual manner, the central rail in allinstances being insulated-trom the cross ties, as indicated by the heavylines where these insulations are located. In the description to follow,the sections are indicated by letters, and the partieular part in thesection by a reference character with an appropriate subscript.

The fragment of the system shown in Figure 1, utilizes live or thesesections or track designated by a, Z), 0, (Z and e. The track rails 11*,11 and 11 are connected by conducting pins 14 and 15 and insulated fromthe sleepers or cross ties in the sections 6, 0, and (Z by insulations16. Insulating pins 17 and 18 are used to align the rails 11, 11 and 11and 11 respectively. Conducting pins'interconnect the various sectionsof the insulated third rail 12, and similar pins con nect the sectionsofthe return or grounded track rail 10. This rail may be insulated fromthe'sleepers or not, as desired.

The power supply which may be a trans former T, is connected to thecentral insulated-third rail and one of the track rails in the usualmanner, as indicated by the wires '19 and 20. It will be understood thatthese connections may be made at any convenient point along the tracklay-out. A wire 21 connects anyportion on the continuous track rail .10to lamp 22. A connection 23 is made from the insulated track rail 11 inthe section bc .d to a junction point 2% which is connected to the otherside of the lamp 22 by a wire 25. A second lamp 26 is connected to thejunction point 24 and also through a resistance 27 and a wire 28 to thecentral or third rail 12 at any convenient point. A resistance 28 isshown shunted about the lamp 26.

Thelamp 22 is a high voltage lamp and is adapted to be light d when thefull potential of the propulsion current is applied to the circuit. Thislamp is preferably colored green or placed back of a green color screen.

The lamp 26, however, is a low voltage lamp, and is preferably coloredred or placed back of a red color screen.

Assuming that no train is on the track or that one is approaching fromthe left, it will be understood that the current flows from the supplywire 20 j through the grounded part of the track circuit, thence throughwire 21, lamp 22, wire 25, lamp 26 2nd by-pass 29, resistance 27, andwire 28 to the third rail 12. The resistances of the Various parts of:this circuit are so arranged that the lamp 22 is lighted and the lamp 26is not lighted.

lVhen the train passes beyond the insulat .ing pin 18 to bring thetrucks or running gfiar onto the track rails of sections bc-d, t e twotrack rails in these sections will come to the common potential and thetrucks will shuntthe lamp 22. The full potential of the power supplywill then be applied by the leads 23 and 28Vand this will causesuitieient current to flow through the low voltage lamp 26 to illuminateit. Hence it is obvious that the signal will show green when the trainis not in the section b-c-(,Z, but that when the train is in thissection the signal willshow red. The arrangement in this figure willoperate the same, irrespective of the direction and motion of the trainand the red lamp will be lighted so long as any portion of the train ison the track in section b-c-d. V

In Figure 2, a modified form of track lay-out is indicated havingsections f, g, 71, 2', j, 70, Z and on. Each of these sections'has trackrails, central rail, and sleepers, as previously described. As hereshown, the track rails ll to 11, inclusive, are insulated from the crossties or sleepers and this track rail is completely insulated intoseparate zones by insulating pins 30, 31, 32 and 33, so that.

this track rail is divided into three insulated zones. 1

- The power wires 19and 20 are connected,

as before to the two rails. A lamp 22 similar to the lamp 22 isconnected between the track rail 11 and the continuous rail 10 bywires3-l and 35. A lamp 26 shunted by resistance 29, is connected to thelead at the in- 3 5, and by means of lead 36 with A third sulated. trackrail 11 of section Ze. lamp 3'? is shunted by a resistance 38 and isconnected at one side to the lead 36 above referred to. The other sideof the lamp is connected through a resistance 39 and wire 40 with thecentral insulated or third rail.

The lamp 22 is arranged to give a green indication, the lamp 26 a redindication. and the lamp 37. a yellow indication; and the lamps andresistances are so selected that the signal will indicate green, yellowand red'for safety, caution, and danger. according to standard railroadpractice;

Assuming that there is no train on the running gear of the train willshunt the lamp 2'2 and impose the full. potential of the powcrrsourceonto the c rcuit including the lead 35, lamps 26 and 3? and resistances28, 38, 29 and lead 40 This will impose sufiicient potential on theintermediate voltage lamp so to illuminate it and give the red dangersignal. The signal will stay red as long as any of the cars ofthe trainare onthe section g. The sections it, i and 7','ot which there maybe anydesired number dependingon the length otthe train, will permit the trainto pass beyond the red signal betore crossing the insulating pin 32 andentering the neXttra-ck zone, here shown as L and Z. As soon as thelocomotive wheels pass onto the section Zr, they will shunt thegreen'and red lamps, as the running gear will stand on. tracks ilk-and10. the latter oil? which. is connected through the lead 34 with thegreen lamp. The iullpotential will now be imposed on the circuit 36. 37,38, 39 and 40, and the yellow lamp will he lighted. The yellow lamp willremain lighted as long as any of the train is in the sections 7c and Z.VVheu the train clears this zone by passing beyond insulating pin 33,the full potent al is applied to the three lamps and the green lamp willlight, show ing that the train has cleared all the protected sections oftrack. 7 l

The system illustrated in Figure 3 is similar to the system shown inFigure 2, except that itis arranged to give the usual sequence of green,red, and yellow lights irrespective of the direction of train operation. a switch being included, which is shitted depending, uponthe'idirection of train movement. The fragment of the track lay-- out ishere composed of sect ons 27, (j. '21. s. t, u, e. and 'w. The insulatedpins 31. 30. 32. and 33' are placed the same as in Fig-- ure 2, and theleads3 l, lamps 22, 26 and 37, and resistances 29, 38 and39 and lead 40are also connected as before.

A double-pole double-throw reversing switch 41 has its central contacts42 and 43 connected to the junction-points l and 45. while the fixedcontacts are connected to the insulated rails of sections f/ and it, bymeans of wires 46 and 4L7. as indicated.

Assuming that the switch 41 is thrown to the left, andfthat the train isproceeding Hill Ill)

to the left, the signal systenrwill operate the, same as above outlinedin iliigure 2.

the many forms.

the switch is thrown to the right, the circuit connections will bechanged so that the green lamp will be lighted when the train is not onthe special sections of track and so-that the red lamp will be lightedwhen the train is in sections a and o and will remain lighted until itclears section a and enters section g,-when the yellow lamp will belighted and" the red extinguished.

Figure 4 illustrates a three light signal 50 in which the lamps may bemounted and to which the wires may be connected, as will be understood.These lamps may be mounted behind colored transparencies or it desired,the lamp bulbs themselves may be colored with appropriate coloringmaterial. in which case there will be less likelihood of wrongly placingthe lamps in the lamp sockets.

While the drawings have shown the wires as being directly connected totherails, it will or" course be understood that this is diagrammatic andthat detachable or lined con nectors, such as are in common use in toyrailroads, may be used for the purpose. The point at which the leads 21and are connected to the grounded rail is unimportant, and similarly thepoint at which the leads are connected to the third rail. In practicethese two wires could be coupled to a single connector. The track rails10 may be insulated from the sleepers or cross ties, iil desired, or maybe mounted on them without insulation. The zones or sections of trackmaybe composed of any convenient number of interchangeable tracksections. The number shown in the figures in the drawing is illustrativeonly. The sections of rail outside the special sections may have one orboth rails of the track insulated from one another. The invention is notrestricted for use on a single track lay-out, as it could readily beadapted for use inv protecting a switch, crossing, or other specialwork.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms andconstructions, and I wish it to be understood that the particular formsshown are but a few of Various modifications and changes being possible,I do not limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

,1 claim:

1. A toy railroad signal system compris' ing, a. plurality of sectionsof three rail toy railroad track interconnected for train operation,each section having two track rails and a central insulated or thirdrail, certain special sections of track having one of the track railsthereof insulated troin the other track rail and from the correspondingrail of adjacentsections, a power source con nccted to the third railand to the said other track rail, and a plurality of signaling devicesinterconnected with one another with the central rail, theinsulatedtrack rail and the other track to give one indication when the trackrails of said special sections are connected by the running gear of thetrain and another when the train is not in said section.

2. A toy railroad signal system comprising. a plurality of sections ofthree rail toy railroad track interconnected for train oper ation, eachsection having two track rails and a central insulated or third rail,certain special sections of track having one of the track rails thereofinsulated from the other track rail and from the corresponding rail ofadjacent sections, a power source connected to the third rail and to thesaid other track rail, and two electric lamps arranged in series andCOHDGCt6l between the central rail and the said other track rail, and aconnection from the insulated track rail to common point between thelamps.

3. A toy railroad signal system comprising, a plurality of sections ofthree rail toy railroad track interconnected for train operation, eachsection having two track rails and a central insulated or third rail,certain special sections of track having one of the track rails thereofinsulated from the other track rail and from the corresponding rail ofadjacent sections, a power source connected to the third'rail and to thesaid other track rail, a high voltage lamp and a low voltage lampconnected in series between the central rail and the said other trackrail, a resistance shunted around the low voltage lamp, and a connectionbetween the insulated track rail and a common-point between the lamps.

l. A toy railroad signal system comprising, a plurality of sections ofthree rail toy railroad track interconnected for train operation, eachsection-having two track rails and a central insulated or third rail,certain special sections of track having one of the track rails thereofinsulated from the other track rail and from the corresponding rail ofadjacent sections, a power source connected to the third rail and to thesaid other track rail, and two lamps of'dii'l'erent voltages sointerconnected with the rails that one lamp is lighted when there is notrain on the special section of track, and such that said lamp isextinguished and the other lamp is lighted when the train is on the saidsection;

5.1The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other track rail'and which isinsulated from the adjacent rails of adjoining sections, and a toy trainhaving trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, of aplurality of lamps interconnected with the central rail, the insulatedcent rails of adjoining sections, and a toy train having trucks adaptedto electrically.

connect the track rails, of a plurality of lamps of diflerent voltagesinterconnected with the central rail, the insulated track rail and'theothertrack rail so that the higher voltage lamp is lighted when thetruck is oil the special sections and the other lamp is lighted when thetruck is on said special sections.

7. The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other track railand whichisinsulated from the adjacent rails of adjoining sections, and atoy'train having trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails,of a plurality of lamps of diflferent voltages interconnected with thecentral rail, the insulated track rail and the other track rail so thatthe higher voltage lamp is lighted when the truck is oii the specialsections and the other lamp is lighted a when the truck is on saidspecial sections,

- saidlamps being in series.

8. The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other track rail and which isinsulated from the adj acent rails of adjoining sections, and a toytrain having trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, ofa plurality of lamps of different voltages interconnected with thecentral rail, the insulated track rail andthe other track rail so thatthe higher voltage lamp is lightedwhen the truck is off the specialsections and the other lamp is lighted when the truck is on said specialsections, said lamps-being in series, there being a resistance incircuit with the lower voltage lamp so that the full potential of thepower source is not applied to it. a

9. The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of track s eetions,,each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track havingatrack rail which is insulated from the other track rail and which isinsulated from the adj acent rails of adjoining sections, and a toytrain having trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, ofa plurality of lamps of difi'erent voltages interconnected with thecentral rail, the insulated track rail and the other track rail so thatthe higher voltage lamp is lighted when the truck is off the specialsections and the other lamp is lighted when the truck is on said specialsections, said lamps being in series, there being a resistance incircuit with the lower voltage lamp so that the full potential of thepower source is not applied to it, and a resistance in shunt with thelow voltage lamp.

10. The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out. composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair or track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other'track rail and from theadjacent rails of adjoining sect-ions, said insulated track rail beingfurther divided into zones insulated from one another, a power sourceconnected to the central rail and said other track rail, and a toy trainhaving trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, of aplurality of lamps interconnected with the central rail, the insulatedtrack rails in said zones and to the other track rail so that only oneof the lamps is lighted when the trucks are on" all said specialsections, so that another lamp is lighted when the trucks are in onezone, and so that the third lamp is lighted when the trucks are inanother zone.

11(The; combination with a' toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of tracksections, each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other track rail and from theadjacent rails of adjoining sections, said insulated track rail beingfurther divided into zones insulated from one another, a power sourceconnected to the central rail and said other track rail, and toy trainhaving trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, of aplurality of lamps of different voltages interconnected with the centralrail, the insulated track rails in said zones and to the othertrack railso that the highest voltage lamp is lighted when the trucks are off allsaid special sections, so'that the intermediate voltage lamp is lightedwhen the trucks are in one zone, and so that the lowest voltage lamp islighted when the trucks are in another zone. 7

' 12. The combination with a toy railroad track layout composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair oftrack rails and aninsulated central'rail, certain special sections ot-said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the'other track rail and from theadjacent rails of adjoining sections, said insulated track rails beingfurther divided into zones insulated from one another, a power sourceconnected to the central rail and said other track rail, and a toy trainhaving trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, of aplurality of lamps of dilferent voltages interconnected with the centralrail, the insulated track rails in said zones and to the other trackrail so that the highest voltage lamp is lighted when the trucks are ofrall said special sections, so that the intermediate voltage lamp islighted when the trucks are in one zone, and so that the lowest voltagelamp is lighted when the trucks are in another zone, said lamps beingarranged in series.

13. The combination with a toy railroad track lay-out composed of aplurality of track sections, each having a pair of track rails and aninsulated central rail, certain special sections of said track having atrack rail which is insulated from the other track rail and from theadjacent rails of adjoining sections, said insulated track rail beingfurther divided into zones insulated from one another, a power sourceconnected to the central rail and said other track rail, and toy trainhaving trucks adapted to electrically connect the track rails, of aplurality of lamps of different voltages interconnected with the centralrail, the insulated track rails in said zones and to the other trackrail so that the highest voltage lamp is lighted when the trucks are offall said special sections, so that the intermediate voltage lamp islighted when the trucks are in one zone, and so that the lowest voltagelamp is lighted when the trucks are in another zone, said lamps beingarranged in series, the two lower voltage lamps being shunted byresistances, and a resistance in series with the lowest voltage lamp.

14. In a signaling system for toy electric railroads, a resistance and aplurality of lamps of (littering voltages connected in series betweenthe third rail and the grounded return rail, the resistance beingbetween the third rail and the lower voltage lamp, the higher voltagelamp being lighted when propulsion current is applied to the track, anda connection from an insulated section of the other track rail to apoint between the lamps so that the higher voltage lamp is shunted bythe trucks of the toy train and the potential is applied to the lowervoltage lamp which is protected by the series resistance.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 8 day of lS/Iarch, 1926.

RANDOLPH FRANCIS BRONSON.

